Road guard bracket and clip



' June 15, 1943. A. E. BRICKMAN 2,321,988

ROAD GUARD BRACKET AND CLIP Filed Feb. I6, 1340 F'IBE. FIE f7.

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Patented June 15, 1943 ROAD GUARD BRACKET AND CLIP Alan E. Brickman, Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, Pa.

Application February 16, 1940, Serial No. 319,353

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to road guards such as those used along public highways for deflecting vehicles which accidentally depart from the normal lane of traiiic. Road guards of this character are well known. The guards now in use fall into two general classes, one employing a barrier element comprising several parallel cables positioned outwardly in spaced relation to suitable supporting posts anchored to the ground, and the other comprising plate-like barrier members resiliently supported in spaced relation to the supporting posts. The present invention is directed to features of improvement in that type of guard rail which employs a barrier comprised of a series of flexible strands or cables mounted by resilient spring-like supports.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved means for operatively associating the barrier cables with a spring bracket,.

which means are entirely devoid of rivets, bolts, or other similar fastening devices.

A further object is to provide an improved type of retaining clip which, during the assembling of the guard rail cables, serves to temporarily support the same.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a, cable-retaining clip of spring metal constructed and arranged so that it can be detachably fulcrumed on a slotted portion of a supporting bracket.

The above and further objects of the invention will be more fully apparent from the following detailed disclosure when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a resilient supporting bracket carried by a fixed post and illustrating the improved cable-retaining clip associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation from the right of Figure 2 with parts shown in section in the interests of clarity;

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of a cable retainer clip of the present invention, adapted to be detachably fulcrumed on a supporting bracket;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a portion of a, supporting bracket illustrating the slotted portion for reception of the clip of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a detail section showing the clip in guiding position to facilitate assembling the guard rail cables with the brackets, and

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are views similar to Figure 6, illustrating different stages in the operation of assembling the cable in operative relation to the supporting bracket.

Referring in detail to the drawing, l0 represents a fixed post or support of any suitable type which may be imbedded in the ground or set in a suitable concrete foundation. There are generally a great number of such posts at hazardous points along the highway, for deflecting vehicles which depart from the normal lanes of traific. Such vehicles are adapted to be safely guarded along the highway by a guard rail element such as indicated at I2. In the case illustrated, this guard rail element takes the form of a plurality of flexible cables. For positioning the guard rail element in spaced relation from each post Hi, there is usually provided a resilient bracket. In the case illustrated, I employ a bracket l4 of spring metal having a portion l6 bolted to the roadside face of the post and having another portion 18 spaced therefrom. The portion l8 of each bracket I4 is provided with a plurality of slotted portions 20 of the configuration shown in Figure 5, where it is noted that the slot is of greatest width at the top and terminates in a narrow notch 22 at the bottom, thus forming a throat of restricted width.

Cooperating with each slotted portion in the bracket is a cable retainer clip, indicated generally at 24 in Figure 4. Each retainer clip includes a tongue 26 having a narrowed fulcrum portion 28 whose width is approximately equal to the distance between the shoulders 30 and 32 which define the restricted throat 22 in the bracket. Extending laterally from the tongue portion are wings 34'34 which serve to loosely hold each clip 24 in the temporary position shown in Figure 6, when the cables are being assembled with the brackets. As thus arranged, it is clear that the wings 34-34, by contact with the inner face of the portion N3 of the spring bracket, will serve to prevent the clip from falling outwardly when the weight of the cable is imposed thereon. After the cable, indicated at C in Figure 6, has been temporarily positioned in the U-shaped seat portion 36 of the clip, the latter will be rocked bodily, as indicated in Figure '7, the tongue portion fulcruming on the lower edge of the notch 22.

At its free extremity the clip is provided with a retainer tooth 38 which is adapted to be finally sprung into the position shown in Figure 3, so as to engage the inner edge 49 of the slot 20. In so assembling the clip in its operative position, it is first sprung downwardly as indicated in Figure 8, and upon reaching the final position'of Figure 9,

conveniently merely by striking a hammer blow to the portion 36 thereof, or, alternatively, a plierlike tool can be employed for pressing the toothed extremity to a position where it can be readily forced through the aperture 20.

The guard rail positioning means described can be quickly and inexpensively fabricated from stock gauges of sheet metal by simple die stamping, punching, and forming operations, yet in the finished structure the assembled clip and bracket serve to effectively support the cable or other guide element in proper position. The spring clip described may embrace each cable with a slight friction grip, or, if desired, the fit between the cable and the clip can be such as to provide a loose connection. However, in the case where the clip normally exerts a slight friction grip, it will be understood that upon impact of a vehicle,

the cable will be capable of sliding relatively to the spring bracket and clip. The objects of the invention are attained regardless of whether the clip makes either a tight or a loose fit with the cable, since the chief function of the improved clip is to provide a relatively inexpensive yet effective means for quickly assembling the guard rail elements with the resilient brackets.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that my invention provides a simple yet elTective cablepositioning clip which can be easily and quickly erected and which can be produced by conventional methods of interchangeable manufacture, with the resultant economies.

While I have described quite precisely the characteristics of the particular embodiment of my invention herein illustrated, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made without departure from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A road guard comprising a fixed supporting post, a bracket secured thereto having a slotted portion with a restricted throat spaced from the post, a guard rail element, and a spring metal retaining clip therefor having one portion embracing said element and other portions detachably interlocked with and fulcrumed on the said throat of the slotted portion of said bracket.

, 2. A road guard comprising a fixed supporting post, a bracket secured thereto having a slotted portion with a restricted throat spaced from the post, a guard rail element, a spring metal clip therefor having a tongue portion fulcrumed on said throat portion of the bracket, and a tooth on the clip adapted to be sprung into position to hold the clip in interlocked assembled relation with the bracket.

3. A road guard comprising a fixed supporting post, a bracket secured thereto having a slotted portion with a restricted throat spaced from the post, a guard rail element, and a retainer clip therefor of spring metal having a tongue with a lateral wing portion formed thereon adapted to interfit with said slotted throat portion of the bracket so as to interlock the clip therewith, said clip also having a retainer tooth for interlocking engagement with the slotted portion of the bracket.

4. A road guard comprising a fixed supporting post, a bracket secured thereto having a slotted portion with a restricted throat spaced from the post, a guardrail element, and an approximately U-shaped retainer clip of resilient metal for the guard rail element having a tongue disposed substantially perpendicular to the main body thereof and engagin said throat, said tongue serving as a fulcrum about which the clip is adapted to be bodily rocked and having oppositely extended win portions thereon which overlap portions of the bracket adjacent the throat thereof so as to interlock the clip with said bracket, said clip also having a tooth adapted to be sprung into overlapping engagement with a portion of said bracket.

ALAN E. BRICKMAN. 

